Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, December 7, inaugurated construction work of Agra Metro project in Agra, Uttar Pradesh through videoconference. Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, and other dignitaries attended the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi pointed out that one of the major problems of the country’s infrastructure sector was that new projects were announced, but not much attention was given to where the money would come from.

He added that his government ensured the necessary funds at the start of the new projects itself. He said that more than Rs 100 lakh crore would be spent under the National Infrastructure Pipeline Project and that work is also being done on the Multi-modal Connectivity Infrastructure Master Plan.

He added that efforts were on to attract investment from all over the world to improve the country’s infrastructure.

Terming tourism as a sector, in which there are means of earning for everyone, Modi informed that not only did the government increase the number of countries covered under the e-Visa scheme, it also reduced the tax on hotel room tariff significantly. Efforts were also being made to attract tourists through schemes like Swadesh Darshan and Prasad, he added.

With the efforts of the government, India is now ranked at number 34 in Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index. In 2013, India was ranked 65th in this index. Modi said he hoped as the situation of COVID-19 continues to improve, soon, the charm of the tourism sector would also return.

He said reforms were being carried out in a wholesome manner rather than in piecemeal manner. He remarked that for the development of cities, work has been done at four levels ? Resolution of long standing problems, Ease of living, Maximum investment and More use of modern technology.

He said there was a trust-gap between the builders and the homebuyers. He said people with some wrong intentions brought disrepute to the entire real estate sector, upsetting the middle class. He said RERA’s law was introduced to remove this problem.

He added that some recent reports showed that after this law, middle class homes started getting completed quickly.

He said all-round development from modern public transport to housing would make life in cities easier.

Modi said Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was inaugurated from Agra and under this scheme, more than one crore houses have been approved for the urban poor. For the middle class of the city, help is being provided to buy houses for the first time. He said so far, more than 12 lakh urban middle class families have been given help of about Rs 28,000 crores to buy houses.

He said infrastructure like water, sewer were being upgraded in several cities under AMRUT mission and help is being given to local bodies to make public toilets better in cities and to implement a modern system of waste management.

Modi informed that post 2014, 450km metro line was operationalised as compared to mere 225 km before that.

He also informed that work on the 1000 km long metro lines was progressing expeditiously and the same is being executed in 27 cities across India.

The Agra Metro project comprises two corridors with a total length of 29.4 km and connects major tourist attractions like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra with railway stations and bus stands. The project would benefit the 26-lakh population of Agra and would also cater to more than 60 lakh tourists who visit Agra every year.

It will provide an environment-friendly Mass Rapid Transit System to Agra. The estimated cost of the project will be Rs 8,379.62 crore, which would be completed in five years.

Earlier, on 8th March 2019, Modi inaugurated the Agra Metro project along with the commencement of commercial operations of Lucknow Metro on the entire 23 km long North-South corridor from CCS Airport to Munshipulia.